Law Professors

Troubled American School of Law Gets New Dean, New Name

Troubles for the Kentucky-based American Justice School of Law are far from over, despite its new owners and settlement of a student-led lawsuit. Indeed, the school’s interim dean has resigned, citing a failure by the new owners to provide funding, pay bills or recruit students. Even creditors are knocking and…

Mar 28, 2008 6:30 PM CDT

Drug Companies Beware: FTC Commissioner Kovacic Gets Promoted

William Kovacic, a commissioner on the Federal Trade Commission, has been named chairman of the agency. He will replace Deborah Platt Majoras, who is leaving to join the legal department at Procter & Gamble. Kovacic is former general counsel of the agency, the Associated Press reports. He also taught at…

Mar 27, 2008 1:33 PM CDT

Editorial Denounces Boston Law Profs’ Mukasey Disinvite

The Wall Street Journal is criticizing law professors at Boston College for using religion to justify their opposition to Michael Mukasey’s upcoming commencement speech. In “a discourteous bit of political theater,” 22 law professors signed a letter asking the attorney general to withdraw, the Wall Street Journal editorial says. The…

Mar 21, 2008 2:11 PM CDT

Harvard Law Group Rallies Against Bill to Ban Online Poker

A group formed at Harvard Law School that backs poker as an educational tool rallied outside the Massachusetts State House yesterday to oppose a bill that would impose criminal penalties for playing the game online. About three dozen people turned out for the rally, CardPlayer.com reports. It was organized by…

Mar 19, 2008 10:35 AM CDT

Law Profs Tell Mukasey He’s Not Wanted as Commencement Speaker

Twenty-two law professors at Boston College Law School are sending a letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey asking him to withdraw as a commencement speaker. The letter (PDF from Eagleionline) is the latest in a simmering controversy over the decision by law school dean John Garvey to invite Mukasey to…

Mar 13, 2008 1:00 PM CDT

Law Prof’s Sarcastic Op-Ed Cites ‘Mukasey’s Paradox’

Law professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University is taking aim at recent decisions by the attorney general by giving a name to the legal reasoning that spurred them: Mukasey’s Paradox. Turley makes his points in an op-ed published in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. He says he once was troubled by…

Mar 10, 2008 2:07 PM CDT

Lawyers in ‘Ethical Minefield’ in $8.4M Detroit Settlement Scandal

An exploding scandal in Detroit over an $8.4 million settlement apparently intended to cover up misconduct by city officials now involves claimed false testimony, concealment of information from the city council and possible destruction of evidence. All create an “ethical minefield” for the lawyers involved, according to legal experts interviewed…

Mar 6, 2008 4:35 PM CST

Comcast Hit for Sending Seat Warmers to Hearing at Harvard Law

An organizer of a federal hearing held at Harvard Law School yesterday is criticizing a cable company for using “seat warmers” that prevented some people from attending. The hearing before the Federal Communications Commission concerned charges that Comcast Corp. was blocking file-sharing by some Internet users. The company contends its…

Feb 27, 2008 6:49 PM CST

NYT Supports Bill Allowing Bankruptcy Judges to Rewrite Mortgages

The New York Times is urging passage of a law that would allow bankruptcy courts to rewrite the terms of borrowers’ mortgages. An editorial says some big banks are getting behind other bailout proposals in an attempt to head off passage of the legislation. If the measure passes, it would…

Feb 27, 2008 2:56 PM CST

Stanford Law Prof Decides Against Congressional Bid

In just one week’s time, Stanford University law professor Lawrence Lessig has gone from a possible congressional candidate to a law professor with a mission to reform pork-barrel spending and lobbyist influence. Lessig caused something of a stir last week when he announced he was considering a run for a…

Feb 26, 2008 1:30 PM CST

Another Law Prof Wants to Go to Washington

Stanford University’s Lawrence Lessig isn’t the only law professor considering a bid for Congress. David Orentlicher of Indiana University has already announced his candidacy for Indiana’s seventh congressional district. His website touts his accomplishments as a state legislator and seeks donations for a national campaign. Seventh district Congresswoman Julia Carson…

Feb 25, 2008 2:35 PM CST

How Yale Law School Decides Which Applicants to Admit

Know someone who wants to get an edge in applying for a coveted place in Yale Law School’s entering class? Being among the first—or the last—would-be legal eagles to submit an application might help just a bit. That’s because Dean of Admissions Asha Rangappa reads all law school applications in…

Feb 22, 2008 7:03 PM CST

Law Prof Lists Home for $30 Million

Hans Smit’s areas of academic expertise are international law, conflict of laws and civil procedure. But the Columbia Law School prof also apparently knows a thing or two about real estate. He currently has his Riverside Drive mansion on the market for $30 million, and has turned down a $20…

Feb 22, 2008 4:26 PM CST

Lessig Considers Congressional Bid

Stanford Law School professor Lawrence Lessig says he is considering a run for Congress. Lessig would be seeking a seat in the San Francisco area left open by the death of Rep. Tam Lantos, the Wall Street Journal reports (sub. req.). Before his cancer death, Lantos endorsed former state Sen.…

Feb 21, 2008 12:31 PM CST

Harvard Snags Sunstein; Nussbaum Stays at Chicago

Speculation over the past few years that an academic power couple at the University of Chicago Law School might be headed to Harvard apparently is half-right. Although both Cass R. Sunstein and Martha C. Nussbaum have received recent offers from Harvard Law School, only Sunstein has accepted, according to the…

Feb 20, 2008 6:27 PM CST